Greatest Hits

Ray Parker Jr. | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 1993)
• Original Release Date: October 12, 1993
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B000002VND
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,689 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Soul/R&B
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 4-JAN-1994

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best of Ray!!!, August 7, 2008

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

I was a big fan of Ray Parker Jr. back in the 80s, and only recently found some of his albums on CD; "A woman needs love", "The other woman", and "After dark". Most of the songs on this greatest hits are taken off his earlier albums; "Jack and Jill" and "You can't change that" (off the first Raydio albums), "Two places at the same time" (the title track, "For those who like to groove"), "A woman needs love" (the title track, "That old song"), and "The other woman" (the rock-ish title track, "Let me go").

A sprinkling of songs off later albums also appear, as well as his #1 smash "Ghostbusters" from the movie of the same name.

So why get this collection if one already owns the earlier albums? Well the Pop/Rock-tinged "Bad boy" (one of my favourites) never appeared on any studio album (it was a new track on his 1983 Greatest Hits collection. I wish the other new track "The people next door" was also included here), and there's also "Jamie", and "Christmas time is here" (the latter boring if you ask me) for the completists.

Aah, the memories.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who ya gonna call? Ray Parker!...Jr. that is, March 11, 2004

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

The Ghostbusters soundtrack, as I said long ago, was the first popular music album I ever bought, thanks to the movie and Ray Parker Jr.'s #1 title track. Hence, he was one of the artists I got into back in the 80's. In my CD days, I was hard-pressed to find a greatest hits compilation, then found this one awhile back. Parker embodies a more crossover pop sound than pure R&B, perhaps influenced by Lionel Richie. A funky synthesizer keyboard is accompanied by a blaring rock guitar.

Obviously, "Ghostbusters" is on there as the leading track. It was last year that I learned that he was sued by Huey Lewis for ripping off the riff to their "I Want A New Drug." While certain sounds are comparable, I see the lawsuit as unjustified, as there are discernible differences.

"The Other Woman" features a rock guitar set to a funking beat and details a one-night stand to hot romance. The protagonist has a lot of chutzpah, as he clearly relishes his actions: "Now I hate to have to cheat, but it feels better when I sneak." Say wha...? Such a nerve, but the song's got a great beat.

The skippy "You Can't Change That" has Arnell and Darren Carmichael, his usual backing vocalists, having some solo bits here. "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" was one of my favourites by him, a mid-paced made lush by flute accompaniment. He's quite the progressive here, dismissing the double standards of women mostly gone, but the gist is, give her affection when she needs it. Giving that excuse "about being tired and working late" will result in the man's feelings being hurt.

"I Still Can't Get Over Loving You" is another favourite, the sole representative of his Woman Out Of Control album. Set with a mid-paced drum, pulsing bass, keyboards, a nice host of backup singers, and a blaring rock guitar, missing someone to the point of expecting his new girls to be like her and every girl dated resembling her.

There was a thing about Ray Parker Jr. back in the 80's. He had a greatest hits in 1982. Then in 1983, he had Woman Out Of Control. And in 1984, to capitalize on Ghostbusters, yet another compilation titled Chartbusters popped up, with three new songs, one of them being an extended version of "Ghostbusters." From Chartbusters, two of those songs ended up here, the upbeat "Jamie," and the pleasant seasonal "Christmas Time Is Here," with some melodies from "Jingle Bells."

"Jamie" is quite an interesting love song, as she's someone the protagonist lost, and he doesn't want anyone else to have her, yet he gives advice on what Jamie likes, but it's clear that after training her the way he likes her, she left him because he was a control freak.

Could this next song be a sequel to "The Other Woman"? "Bad Boy" is an apology from a guy who's had an extramarital affair, admits he was being a "macho man and being cool...so go ahead and punish me, because I deserve to be hurt too." He gets desperate here, per the excuse that he was egged on by his friends, but admits he has nerve to come back after the other woman left him. I don't know if I'd go as far as "spank me, whup me, let me come back home," but at least he's learned his lesson.

"Girls Are More Fun" has a party atmosphere like Kool and the Gang's "Celebrate," though not with the intensity of that classic.

There is one instrumental here, the funky synth groove of "For Those Who Like To Groove," sporting guitars and whistles, from Two Places At The Same Time.

This compilation is missing the two songs from Woman Out Of Control that was included on Chartbusters, the title track and the sci-fi "Invasion" featuring some computerized vocals. Still, if one can find that elusive album, this compilation has enough to give Parker his due.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wish to make a dive into the Lost & Found, April 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

A nice collection of the good old music from Ray Parker Jr., yet some nice tracks are missing. Some listeners might recall songs which lyrics center about the aspects of an unsatisfying love life; "I don't think that man should sleep alone" and the one that gives the story about a girl showing up at the store complaining about her radio playing only sad love songs of which of course Ray has a fool-proof cure. The fifth star would be within reach by the two songs added to the album. It is a bit sad that Ray is "Ghostbusters" alone to many potential listeners. Explore and Enjoy!